Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Boehlert Threatened Over Al Gore

The climate crisis is real.

We're responsible for it.

Results of \”global
warming\” are very bad, leading to catastrophic.

We must urgently fix it now.

But most importantly, it is not too late.

Those are the five points of consensus, according to Al Gore. That's the same
thing Robert Redford said to us in
D.C. when he met with bloggers on the Apollo
Alliance. It is not too late. That is, unless Republicans
have their way.

Gore hates the phrase \”global
warming,\” by the way. He thinks it's \”too benign.\” It's likely
why we hear him talking about \”climate crisis\” more often.

Today,
I was invited into a conference call with him and other progressive bloggers
to talk about the issue of climate crisis and the changes now affecting the
globe. The purpose of the call was to find a way that progressive blogs can
help get the message out on the crisis so we can affect a change through the
grass and netroots, which will reach into every American home. It's about changing the way people think and live, as well as encouraging people to do something personally that affects our planet, which then opens out on to a movement to push politicians to enact the right policies. Again, it's not too late.

\”An Inconvenient Truth,\” the movie, is now in wide distribution,
with the paperback edition of his book going to #1 on the New York Times bestseller
list the week before July 4th.

\”The difference between being #1 and #2 pushes buttons for me.\” – Al Gore (during conference call)

But the thing that got me in the call was when I asked if he'd screened the
movie for Congress, because Gore really wanted to reach across to Republicans
so they would come to see the film. Gore said Senator Harry
Reid offered to shut down Senate business so everyone could see it. None of the Republicans showed up. I was thinking that maybe we could put pressure on the wingnuts, if Gore had another screening on the Hill. Maybe progressive constituents of Republicans could flood their offices demanding their Congressperson see the film. That's when Gore
told his tale.

A couple of years ago Gore had a slide show presentation revolving around climate
crisis for the Science Committee and the Committee on Energy & Commerce.
The Democrats showed up. But something amazing happened, because not only did
the Republicans not show up, but one of the Republican House members was threatened
for helping Gore out. It wasn't just any House member either.

Republican Representative Sherry Boehlert, as Gore called him, is Chairman of the Science Committee and he is retiring
from Congress. He is a strong believer
in global warming. It's real, he knows and said so again today on CNN.
Well, back when Gore put together his briefing for Congress, Boehlert let Gore
use the Science Committee room for his presentation. For his efforts Boehlert
was threatened with losing his chairmanship. The Hammer came down.

Nothing has changed but who's holding the hammer.

I'd like to get another screening invitation of Gore's movie sent out to Congress.
I think some voters might care if their Republican representative wanted their
city to go by way of New Orleans. If you're reading, Mr. Gore. I'm game.

UPDATE: Again, see the move \”An Inconvenient Truth.\” To prepare yourself for the Republican road to oblivion, read this.

UPDATE II: Saw the movie tonight. It's incredible, powerful, brilliantly communicative. See it, tell your friends to see it and make sure every young person you know sees it. It's that important.